Anyone have most problems with hands?

[mgoerke]

Hi all,

I read all the time about people's struggles with their legs and MS. I have my shares of those, but my biggest problem is my hands.

I have severe numbness and and spasticity in my left hand my right hand is slowly slipping away.

I have three lesions in CV spine, one huge one on thoracic and numerous new and old in my brain.

Anyone else in the same boat?

[Thinkimjob]

I don't know where the lesions are, but my left hand is basically numb all over. That snuck up over the years and it has stayed for good, getting gradually worse.
Two fingers on my right hand went numb and stayed numb right from the start 13 years ago. No change on that hand.
I can still touch type, but my piano playing days are long gone.
My left hand, and whole side in general, is definitely weaker.
I'm right-handed, luckily.

[CasinoKathy]

I do have some weakness in my left hand and arm. No pain or spasticity though. I find it hard to cut up my meat, do buttons, zippers, and style my hair. Lotsa of other things, can't think what they all are now. But my main problem is with my weak left leg, and also balance

[Camsue]

both hands

I have numbness in both hands, especially the fingers...it's not so bad until I think about it, then I feel it, otherwise I just ignore it

[gomer]

I have problems with my hands, mostly left hand, partial numbness mostly in little finger and the next one.

I also get the lobster claw once in a while in the same/left hand. When that happens I just have to wait till the CLAW decides to let go. I also have balance issues and my left leg is worse than my right leg.

Interesting note, when I get the neck-head ZAPs they are on my right side. As I understand things, right brain is largely left body etc.

I have a ship load of Dawson fingers upstairs and one spinal lesion is about C5-C6, not a good area for a spinal lesion.

Gomer

[Windwalker]

Hi all,

I read all the time about people's struggles with their legs and MS. I have my shares of those, but my biggest problem is my hands.

I have severe numbness and and spasticity in my left hand my right hand is slowly slipping away.

I have three lesions in CV spine, one huge one on thoracic and numerous new and old in my brain.

Anyone else in the same boat?

Sounds like were in similar boats.

I have one huge area of disease on my CV spine...everything else...brain, rest of CV Spine, look good.

It's amazing how cleanly the MS has "cut me in two". Left side basically dying, hand mostly useless and starting to claw up...spasticity in hand, arm and shoulder...severe.
Fine motor skills on left hand are gone.

Right side is totally unaffected but getting much weaker due to inactivity. Yes...you need both sides in order to walk and function.

[empirerecs]

good way to put it, Windwalker, my MS has basically cut me in two as well. My right side is a mess and only my left hand has pain.

Started out on right shin, then for a while it was about the same but now back to mostly right side.

I don't have the numbness, just arthritis type pain and spasicity.

[04blackcobra]

I have mostly cervical cord lesions with one old brain lesion. My right forearm and hand is numb all the time and hurts. The left hand is just slightly numb. I have trouble determining size and shapes with my right fingers. If I'm holding paper, especially money, I have to keep looking at my fingers due to the fact I cannot tell if I drop it.

[mgoerke]

I'm so glad to hear I'm not alone! I was starting to think I was weird, LOL.

I've actually thought that it would be easier if it were my legs that were more affected. Not that I want to be in a wheelchair of course, that's awful, but if my hands continue to leave me it is going to be very hard to take care of myself or anyone else!

Gomer, why do you say that C5-6 is the worst place to have lesions? I've got them 3-4, 5-6 and 6-7 :-(

[kjane]

hands

A wheelchair helps me get around, but I would love to have the feeling and use of my hands, again! I could stay very busy w/projects, typing and cooking. I found that wearing a hand/wrist splint (that puts your hand in a desirable position) a few hours a day helps relax the spasticity--an OT helped me w/that.

[1936siol]

Hands

My hands and legs have been numb for years. I've had to walk with two canes for thirty years to keep from falling. I can cut myself and be bleeding and not even know it until someone tells me about it. I have been using a walker for several years.

This is the way I am. It does not bother me anymore. It is just a fact of life. I am not looking for improvement, just hoping not to get worse even though I know it will get worse and then I'll deal with it.

Lois

[rsb]

lobster claw! I get that, too. I have to be very careful how I reach for things with my right hand (my right arm and leg are affected, lucky for me I'm a lefty) because it will go into a claw and 'stick' until it decides to unstick. i also have trouble lifting my fingers to type, and dressing my kids feels like i'm doing it while wearing metal gloves.

[0485c10]

My most frustrating symptom is using my hands--i have lesions cv at 3/4,5/6 but i do not think that is what is causing my frustration. i think my frustration with using my hand is coming from the cerebellum(ataxia?) lesions giving direction on how to use my hands. but who knows where it comes from? I only know that they don't work as i expect/direct them too and it gets frustrating especially when time is important. funny when time isn't important and i can go as slow as i want they seem to work better.

[jojo18]

i have symptoms all over the place but minus the fatigue and insomnia, my hands bother me the most.

its not that the bother me day and night with pain, my life would be easier if they were "normal".

i have slight numbness in my fingure tips. lie when i get poked by the neuro with a safety pin, i can tell its there, it just fells dull. but thats not a big deal.

my biggest issue with my hands is typing. my left hand has a termor in it that comes and goes. it likes to appear when doing tasks that invole fine motor skills...like typing.
i can still type, i just wish my typing could be a bit faster.

[Thinkimjob]

Jojo18, you've got a competitor here in that sport. London Olympics here we come. Really, really slowly.